The BlackHawk Saga: Back From the Abyss
by mblackhawk
Summary: It's a sad day in the BlackHawk family, especially for Rhiana, as a mission with the Colonial Military fails, but she can't let herself be depressed for long. A new evil is coming to Pioneer City, and it will fall upon her shoulders, as well as to her family, to stop it.


_**The BlackHawk Saga Part 10:**_

_**"Back from the Abyss"  
A Phantasy Star Online fanfiction by  
M_BlackHawk**_

Chapter 1:  
Tragedy and Aftermath

Rhiana had woke early that morning, in her room, to see a message showing in her BEE uplink. She clicked the small machine's "read" button and checked the messages.

"Rhiana," the message read, "Gov. Tyrell has asked me to get a partner for an emergency quest, starting tomorrow at noon. I can only bring one person with me, as we'll be accompanied by two members of the colony military group, WORKS. They will act as our special government liason. I'll tell you more when we meet at the guild tomorrow at 11:00am. Please meet me then. Takezo."

"That's strange," she thinks to herself, "His messages usually have more to them than this." A worried look comes to the young FOmarl's face as she continues to think about the message. After picking out a suit and fixing her long, sandy brown hair, she walked down to be met by her mother, Lara.

"Is something wrong?" the mother asks of her daughter, "You look a little worried."

"I got a message from Takezo on the BEE uplink," Rhiana answers, "But it wasn't like the others I've received from him. I've got a strange feeling that something's wrong with this emergency quest."

"Emergency quest? Don't tell me Tyrell's handed down another one. Didn't we just destroy the Pioneer 1 Central dome for that jackass?"

"I know. Something tells me there's more to this than we think. Takezo's message sounded like he was worried. I'll know more later. If I need help, I'll call you."

"Ok, Rhiana." Lara says, hugging her middle child, "Just be careful. I'll call in a favor and see if I can find out more about this."

Time goes by and 11:00am arrives as Rhiana's waiting at the Hunter's guild for her long time friend, Takezo. The HUmar arrives just shortly after 11, with a strange RAmar and RAmarl with him. Rhiana notices the strange way he's behaving, and his worried facial expression, and walking manner. She looks over the female ranger, noticing one or two similarities between her and her mother, but dismisses the thought. The RAmar looked like he wasn't long before retiring from service. His dark hair had streaks of gray across the sides of his head. She wagered that he was roughly in his mid 60's and really wasn't keen on going on this mission.

"Rhiana?" the RAmarl says, "You're the partner that Takezo is bringing?"

"How do you know me?" the FOmarl asks, "I've never seen you."

"I'm your aunt, Shiara Mano," she answers, "Does Lara know you're on this quest?"

"I'm already 17, Aunt Shiara. I can take care of myself, and got the highest marks in my class at the force academy. I've helped Mom and Dad on several quests already. It's not like I'm some green newbie who just started."

"Ok, Ok," Shiara tells her, "You look like you can fend for yourself with your techs. I'll back off."

"Just what is this quest?" Rhiana asks, fearing the worst, "From Takezo's worried tone in his message, it sounds urgent."

"It is," the RAmar answers, "I'm Brig. General James Morgan of military intelligence. Tyrell was going to send WORKS on this, but I used my pull in military affairs to get Shiara and myself placed on this mission. We have reason to believe that someone is messing with several different items of immense power. We've detected the energy signatures on Gal Da Val island. The signatures are closely related to the dark crystals in the old ruins that were sent away after the Shade Stalker incident, as well as having several similarities to the D-Cells that took over Heathcliff Flowen, and a strange relic that was destroyed by your grandfather before Pioneer 1 left our homeworld of Coral, not to mention the artificial falz that Master created. If someone is merging those powers, then it could only be for no good. Mike and Lara have the most experience in these matters, but they're retired from active service. We wanted to get Jessica to  
help, but it seems that Takezo contacted you instead of your sister."

"You'll need an experienced force anyway," Rhiana advises him, "I'll do my best."

"I just hope it's enough," Takezo says, "Whatever's merging those powers," his voice trails off as Gen. Morgan leads the party to a teleporter. They transport from their location to a secluded area of Gal Da Val island, where they come acoss the energy signatures again. A pillar of megid-like energy is shooting up from the heart of the central control area, into the skies over the island.

There are, strangely, no monsters in the area, as they proceed cautiously toward Central Control. Not a word is said between the four as the doors open, allowing them to press further in.

The strange energies get stronger and stronger the further in the party goes. Rhiana can somehow feel the influence of master's artificial falz and the twisted song project mixed in with the power of Dark Falz, which she felt from Shade Stalker, and two sources she couldn't recognize. She looks over at Takezo, who still doesn't like the idea of coming on this mission. The young FOmarl then looks over to her aunt, Shiara, who gives her a reassuring look, then continues on without speaking.

The party comes to a locked door, where Shiara takes out a small computer and begins to hack the security code. In a matter of minutes the door silently opens, as the group looks in to see a man, probably a force, dressed in all black, with black hair and a, strangely, not carrying a cane, rod or wand.

"With the power from these artifacts," the strange FOmar mutters, "I can resurrect my lord before the millennial cycle comes again. That creature that they killed before was but a fraction of the true beast that is my lord, Dark Force."

"Dark Force?" Takezo asks, "Rhiana, have you read anything about a Dark Force, in your studies?"

"No, this is all new to me," Rhiana answers, "Apparently this wacko is going to try to use those relics to release something more powerful than Dark Falz. Aunt Shiara, Gen. Morgan, what now?"

"We've got to stop this, no matter what," Morgan answers, as he shoulders his rifle, and fires off a shot at the black force's head. The photon bullet dissipates as it hits a barrier.

"I do so hate when insects try to interfere in my work," the force mutters, "Especially those that do not know who or what they are messing with. You cannot stop the arrival of my ultimate lord and master, Dark Force, with those mere weapons. Dark Force will live again, and he will destroy all." He stands there as Morgan unloads volley after volley from his rifle, but the shots do no good.

"Is this really all the resistance that you people can muster?" the black clad force asks, "You really are pathetic." He unleashes a wave of black magic towards Rhiana.

"LOOK OUT!" Takezo yelled as he rushed at his long-time friend, shoulder rushing her out of the way of the powerful megid spell. Rhiana is pushed from the path of the spell, but Takezo's body is engulfed in the magic power and falls to the side, right into the young FOmarl's arms.

"Takezo?" she asks quietly to the limp body of her friend. With no response, she tries a reverser spell, but it has no effect. She clutches his body as she starts to sob.

"Rhiana, we have to get out of here," Shiara Mano tells her niece, "We can't stop this guy with what we have here. Come on!" Rhiana doesn't move from the spot where she fell and caught Takezo. Shiara runs over and grabs Rhiana, pulling her and Takezo through a telepipe that Morgan had dropped to make their escape. The two arrive back at the Colony's medical center, where Takezo is pronounced deceased upon arrival. Rhiana doesn't leave his side until he's taken to the mortuary.

Three days later, in the Hunter's Memorial Park, the BlackHawk family, Shiara Mano, and a good number of hunters stood, paying memory to the young HUmar who fell. Rhiana, herself, had placed a few mums on the grave. After the others had dispersed, She stood there for a while longer.

"What happened out there, Shiara," Mike asked, "What could have caused that surge of power?"

"That FOmar is using powers from a cracked crystal from the old Ruins, shards of a relic your father had destroyed, D-Cells from the corpse of Heathcliff Flowen, and a portion of Master's Twisted Song to bring back something called 'Dark Force'," Shiara answered, "Nothing we could do would break through his barrier, and his Megid spell seemed like a lance of black power. It was headed toward Rhiana, when Takezo threw himself in front of the spell. The rest, as you know.."

"Is history," Lara says, finishing her sister's statement, "Well, I guess we have to talk to someone about that relic, then. Mike's father never told him about that thing, but there's one person who may know something that could prove useful."

Back at the gravesite, Rhiana kneeled on her knees, her head in her hands. Her sister, Jessica, stood over her, a hand on her shoulder, wishing she knew what to say to her younger sibling.

Another week has passed since the failed mission on Gal Da Val island. All information about the mission, those involved, and the strange force had been listed as Classified by the government. Takezo was listed as KIA, or killed in action.

At the BlackHawk home, the family wasn't so much worried about the strange force,as they were worried about one of their own. This morning, Jessica Lynn BlackHawk had risen early, only to find the door next to hers still locked, and sad music still coming from inside the room. She looks at the door for a minute, then walks downstairs to find her mother talking to her two sisters, Shiara and Riala, both clad in military uniform.

"I'm sorry, Lara," Riala told her sister, "I had been following that guy for months now. He had hit several different museums and archaeological sites. We never figured out a pattern till he stole a privately owned spacecraft and followed a Ranger off of Ragol, to a moon of our homeworld of Coral."

"A ranger?" Lara asks, "What would he follow a ranger of the guild for?"

"That disc fragment," Riala answers, "We didn't know about the ruins crystal and D-Cells until that mission on Gal Da Val Island, but we knew about the relic shard, and the fragment of Master's twisted song disc. He gave me the slip on the Coralian moon, and I didn't know where he had gotten to, until just last week, when Shiara told me about what happened."

"This just keeps getting more and more interesting," Jess says, announcing her presence, "So you knew this guy was potentially dangerous, but didn't tell us, or your superiors?"

"We didn't know what his purpose was," Riala replies, "I couldn't get an order to take him in, unless I knew his true purpose. Then, I could act. Working in intelligence doesn't give you a license to kill, Jessie."

"Great," the younger HUnewearl thinks out loud, "Look, I'm not so much worried about this guy, as I am about Rhiana. Do you realize that she's not come out of that room since the funeral? That music just keeps playing over and over, and I've lost count of the times I've heard her cry herself to sleep over this mess."

"Well," Lara tells her eldest daughter, "I think Shiara and I are going to go to Angelus Manor later today to talk to Seifer about that relic. Mike set it up through Amelia. Maybe Rhiana can come with us."

"I don't think she'll want to go anywhere," Mike BlackHawk, patriarch of the family, advises his wife, "Takezo's death hit her pretty hard. However, maybe if she talked to someone who understood what she was going through, she'd come out of her shell."

"I think I know what you're talking about, Honey. Call Amelia and see if she'll talk to her."

"I'll tell Rhiana you want her to come along," Jessica chimes in, "I hope this works."

It's about 3 in the afternoon when Rhiana, Lara and Shiara walked up to the door of Angelus Manor. They are greeted at the door by Mike's sister, Amelia. "Glad you could come by," she says to her sister-in-law and niece, "I'm so sorry about what happened."

"I know," Lara answered, "We've looked and looked for information on that relic, but there's nothing listed in any database or library. That's why we need to talk to your husband."

"I'm sure he'll be glad to help you," Amelia tells Lara, "Oh, Rhiana. There's someone I want you to talk to, as well. I think she knows exactly what you're going through. Lara, Seifer's in the library. You can lead Shiara there. I'll take Rhiana to the other room, ok?"

"That's fine," Lara says, leading Shiara off toward the library, "Rhiana, catch up to us later, ok?"

"Ok, Mom," Rhiana answers, not sounding too enthused about anything. The young FOmarl is then lead upstairs to a room at the end of the hallway.

"Just go on in," Amelia tells her niece, "Aravis hasn't had much company lately. I'm confident you two will get along quite nicely." She opens the door and Rhiana steps through.

"Ms. Aravis?" Rhiana asks of the lady sitting in a chair at the other side of the room.

"You must be Rhiana," Aravis answers, "Yes, I'm Aravis Angelus. Amelia told me about you. Mike BlackHawk's daughter, am I right? I heard about your friend. My Sympathies are with you."

"Thank you," Rhiana replies, "I just don't know what to do. He used to send me messages at random, or drop by for no reason but to say hi. He even left me a stuffed rag rappy in my guild mailbox only a week before the mission."

"You cared for him," Aravis thinks out loud, "I can tell by your voice. And It seems he cared for you too. Rhiana, I can tell you that everyone who takes up the business of being a hunter knows the risk that is imminent. I'm sure you knew it when you joined. But, it always does hurt to lose someone you're that close to."

"You know?" Rhiana asks

"Do I ever," Aravis responds, "I have no way of knowing if my husband is alive or dead. He disappeared a few years ago, and we don't know what happened to him."

"Dad told me about that. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," the elder tells Rhiana, "I was once something that I still hold as some of the wisest advice I've ever had. Someone once told me that though we live relatively short lives, it's how fully we live that life really matters, and that becomes our true legacy. And that same person told me that the hardest thing about this world, is living in it. Rhiana, Takezo wouldn't want you to spend your remaining years in isolation just because of that. He gave you a gift when he pushed you out of the way of that spell. That gift was your continued life."

"I think I understand," Rhiana replies, "You really do understand."

"Yes, I do. Now, give what I told you some thought," Aravis advises Rhiana, "And then make up your mind as to what you want to do."

"I will," Rhiana responds, "Thank you." She then gets up to leave the room, looking more thoughtful. As she opens the door, she is met by a tall, brown haired young man. "Oh, I'm sorry," she tells him.

"It't not a problem," he replies, "And you are?"

"Rhiana BlackHawk," she answers, "You?"

"Daxion Angelus," the boy says, sheepishly, "Sorry for almost running into you." She gives him a slight smile before leaving the room, headed to meet her mother in the library. She finally reaches the her goal, where Seifer is telling her mother and aunt all he knows about the ancient relic, and about the project that his father, and her grandfather were involved in, and the events surrounding the relic's shattering.

Following Seifer's explanation, and a little light conversation, which Rhiana really wasn't much part of, the trio left Angelus manor heading back to the BlackHawk home, where Rhiana headed back to her room, after getting a few books off of a shelf. Lara started noticing a difference in her daughter when she arrived from her conversation with Aravis, but something else seemed strange about her demeanor.

Rhiana sat down at her desk quietly, and started thumbing through of the texts she had brought up. The words that Aravis told her running ever more repeatedly through her mind. When she had read through most of the first two chapters, she closed her eyes and pictured the events of the failed mission in her mind. All the while, she heard Aravis telling her not to waste the final gift that Takezo had given her, her life. She opened her eyes, and closed the book, before standing up from her chair. She shuts off her radio and goes downstairs to find her mother still talking to Shiara, Rhiala and Mike. "Mom," She began, "Do we still have those old books that Dad brought from Coral?"

"Actually, I had the really old ones transferred to optical disk," Lara answered, "What's wrong?"

"Just something I want to look up, that's all." She finds the disks and takes them down to the family's computer room, where she begins pouring over the information available. "_There's got to be something on this 'Dark Force' somewhere in these texts_," she thinks, "_where else can I find a wealth of information?_" Her search through the texts at her home brings some good leads, but nothing solid. That leads her to another perplexing question. "_Where will I find what I'm looking for?_" She asks herself, "_Where can I find a way to dispel that blasted barrier?_"

"Who could be here now?" Amelia Angelus asks herself as she answers the door, only to find Rhiana standing there.

"Aunt Amelia," Rhiana says, "I need to search your library for any information dating back to Coral, or back even further."

"Well," Seifer Angelus thinks, walking up behind Amelia, "Come on in. We'll help you as much as we can."

The trio searches long and hard through the archive that is the Angelus library, finding several large books, and a few optical disks that hold all sorts of history and information dating back before Coral was even settled.

"What are you looking for?" Amelia asks her niece.

"Anything on a 'Dark Force', and how to dispel a barrier made from that monster's power," Rhiana answers, "If we're going to stop that guy from reviving this Dark Force, We've got to act quickly. He's already had almost two weeks to work."

Rhiana BlackHawk had since made up her mind to complete what she had first set out to do back on Gal Da Val Island, stop Dark Force's revival. She had gained a wealth of knowledge on the matter from her own texts at home, but had a greater need for more.

That brought her to Angelus Manor, and its extensive library. "_Ok, we're getting somewhere_," She thinks out loud as she and her aunt Amelia pour over mountains of books and optical disks. "It seems that this Dark Force isn't much different from Dark Falz that was defeated in the ruins, only more powerful, and had its own body, without a need for a host."

"But how will you break that force's barrier to stop him?" Amelia asks of her niece, "It's not like we can just say 'Open Sesame' and the barrier break."

"I know, that's why I'm looking for as much information as I can get on this thing," Rhiana answers, "and any past encounters with it. This may be it. It seems that a party of 'Protectors' faced off on the old Planet Motavia with a wizard named Zio. He was protected by a similar barrier, but it was broken by a 'Psyco Wand'. I wonder if it could be that same psycho wand that I found in our attic. Dad always kept a bunch of stuff hidden up there."

"Could be," Amelia answers, "Something else is written here about that wand. This text probably came from Dezolis. Maybe you should go home and find the wand again."

Elsewhere, the strange force from Gal Da Val Island appears through a telepipe on the outskirts of the colony. "_This place is perfect,_" he thinks to himself, "_So many lives to take. So many deaths to feed to raise Dark Force._" He walks on toward the colony's border, with his mind made up, and ready to do what he must.

Rhiana continues her research on breaking the strange force's barrier when a telepipe opens behind her. Her father steps out of the teleportation device, followed by Galveris.

"Rhiana," he begins, "Turn on the news. This, you have to see."

Amelia turns on the holovid projector to the local news broadcast, which shows a scene of random carnage, and a black clad FOmar standing amidst the massacre. Newscaster Nol Rinale is standing before the latest scene of blatant destruction.

"What you're seeing behind me," she says, beginning her report, "Is a scene of utter chaos, destruction, and carnage. Just a few minutes ago, a strange black-clad force, apparently calling himself 'Zeira', walked into the middle of downtown Pioneer City casting numerous different techs on the innocent citizens of the city. Governor Tyrell has declared a state of emergency, and the Colonial military is being dispatched to deal with this situation. More on this as it develops."

"More lambs to the slaughter," Rhiana thinks out loud as she feels a hand on her shoulder. She turns around to find the young man she almost ran into this morning behind her.

"Don't tell me you're planning on facing that thing alone," Daxion tells her, "You won't stand a chance."

"I have to do this, Daxion," she answers, "I'm the one that let him get this far along. If he kills enough people, Dark Force will arise."

He looks right into her eyes as he begins to speak again. "Then let me help you," he tells her, "We all know that if you go into this alone, you'll not make it out alive. With some help, there may be a chance we can win this."

"Then I welcome your help," she replies, "Let's do this."

"Not until I give you something," Galveris notes, "Rhiana, Mike told me about that wand that was in the attic, so I got it before we came here." He pulls the Psycho wand out of a storage unit in his right leg, handing it to Rhiana.

"Thanks, Galveris," she says, hugging the huge android, "Who knew that having a bunch of pack rats for a family would come in such handy?"

Daxion runs upstairs to get his weapons and equipment. He grabs his armguard from the desk and his frame from under the bed. When it came time to decide on a weapon, he looked to the shelf where his father's Durandal sat. He picked up the saber and activated the blade. "This should do nicely," he thinks as he runs downstairs to meet Rhiana.

"I think we're set," Rhiana tells her friends and family, with her wand in hand, "Dax and I will face Zeira. I don't want to endanger the rest of you, so please don't follow us."

"Just be careful and come back alive," Mike advises his daughter, "We'll be waiting for you. I sent word for Lara, Jessie, and the others to come here as soon as possible."

"And I'm going to help you," Galveris adds, "I'm not much for just hanging around while members of my family go to battle. You'll need all the help you can get."

"Thanks, Dad. Now, come on, Daxion, Galveris. We've got a force to stop."

Zeira had lain waste to another block of Pioneer city as a group of soldiers, lead by one of Tyrell's best generals appeared out of a telepipe. "Ok, men," the career soldier began, "Weapons up, and fire at will." Almost immediately, the group of soldiers begin firing different beam weapons at Zeira, their photon bullets having no effect whatsoever against the force's shield.

"They haven't learned yet that it's useless to resist my power," Zeira mutters as he raises one hand. Streams of fire lurch from his outstretched arm, hitting every soldier in the ranks. The commander stands there, stunned that his army had no chance at all of defeating the strange magician. Zeira stared the man down for a moment, then launched a megid tech at him. The black energy drained every bit of life from its target, and the military commander fell dead, and Zeira walked on, going about his business of destroying all in Pioneer City.

He hadn't gotten another block down the street when he was face to face with a young female force, joined by a male swordsman, and an android with a scythe. He eyed the force for a second. "I remember you," he calmly muses, "You tried to stop me on Gal Da Val Island. Do you honestly think you'll do better now, than you did before? You're just leading more lambs to the slaughter."

"Zeira," Rhiana BlackHawk begins, "You've taken countless lives today, all to feed this Dark Force. Your life will be the last one taken, and your god will NOT revive."

"We'll see about that. You couldn't penetrate my barrier before. What makes you think you can now?"

Rhiana holds the Psycho wand before her, chanting softly. "_powers of purity, heed my call_," she says, "_let your might break the barrier of evil that keeps us from our quarry._" The wand glows bright as the barrier around Zeira shatters. "Galveris, Daxion, attack now," she exclaims, "I'll keep you healthy, and prepared."

Rhiana casts a quick shifta/deband on her friends, then a Jellen and Zalure on her target, before attacking with a high level Grants. The evil mage reels from the strike as Daxion brings the full force of his Durandal saber down upon Zeira's shoulder. He leaps out of the way, just as Galveris brings his Soul Banish down on the other side, slicing through the mage's flesh.

Not about to give up so easily, Zeira sends an arrow-like lance of black energy at Rhiana. The power would have hit her, had Daxion not lunged in front, Durandal at the ready. The saber absorbed the black wave, and flashed with untold power. "_What in the world?_" thinks Daxion, as he raises the blade above his head. He swipes the blade at the ground, releasing the energy wave back at its caster. The energy hits Zeira square in the chest, and the dark mage falls to the attacks he had sustained.

Elsewhere, on Gal Da Val Island, at the time of Zeira's passing, dark power had began to gather in droves. A pillar of darkness had risen to the skies, and was now expanding.

"Professor," a research assistant at the government's 'Lab' yells, "Strange energy readings coming from Gal Da Val Island. It reads similar to a force's megid techs, but a million times more powerful. It looks like a vortex has gathered on the island and is covering the entire land mass with nothing but dark energy. I've never seen anything like this."

Dark Clouds now marr the once blue sky. The waves of megid-like energy can be seen as far away as Pioneer City. Rhiana BlackHawk looked at the pillar of energy where Gal Da Val Island once stood. "_Oh no_," she thinks to herself, "_He had taken so many lives to feed Dark Force, and his life was the last one that he needed to revive. That pillar of energy is the abyss. That's where Dark Force will revive_."

"Rhiana," Daxion tells his friend, "I think we need to get back to the manor now. Zeira may be dead, but it looks like we've still got more business to do, and I want to know more, and better arm myself, before we go."

"I agree," Galveris adds, "My sensors are reading energy levels off the scale on Gal Da Val Island. Whatever's there has to be at least a million times more powerful than Zeira."

"Without his barrier, Zeira was a weakling," Rhiana tells them, "Now we've got something else to deal with. Zeira's death was the last that Dark Force needed to revive. That's why all this started right after his death. He had taken a great number of lives..and the last death needed to feed Dark Force, was the death of the reaper of souls..Zeira himself."

That said, Rhiana casts a Ryuker opening a teleport gate back to Angelus Manor, where they are met by both families, and a few long-time friends.

Following the death of Zeira, The skies over planet Ragol became a darkness beyond the blackest pitch. Monsters much stronger than those in the old ruins where Dark Falz was imprisoned began to appear in the streets of Pioneer City, wreaking havoc all over the once peaceful settlement.

The Colonial military and Hunter's guild had begun working together to stave off the near endless wave of monsters, but were not having much luck, as the monsters had a great defensive strength against the military and hunter's weapons and techniques.

Meanwhile, the energy pillar on Gal Da Val Island continued to marr the vast horizon, casting a shadow on the entire planet.

Rhiana BlackHawk, Daxion Angelus, and the android Galveris emerged through the teleport gate back at Angelus manor. They were met by the two respective families, plus some old family friends. Standing in the library of the stately manor, readying for the coming conflict are Mike, Lara and Jessica BlackHawk, as well as Seifer, Amelia and Diego Angleus. They are joined by Maya and Kirumi, the two other androids who have become such a vital part of the BlackHawk family, as well as Lara's two sisters, Riala and Shiara Mano.

"We're still waiting on a few more people to show up," Mike tells Rhiana as she steps through, "That energy on Gal Da Val Island, it's Dark Force, isn't it?"

"I think so," Rhiana answers, "As soon as we killed Zeira, all this started happening. My best guess is that after Zeira had taken so many lives to feed Dark Force, the last life that needed taken was Zeira's himself. He started the Ritual on that island, and that's where Dark Force will revive."

Shiara Mano looked over at her niece, "And, I can tell you plan on facing him, right?"

"What else can we do?" Daxion responds, "If we don't kill that thing now, then we're all dead."

"Then I'm coming with you," the RAmarl advises, "Riala will help your families to defend Pioneer City."

"Mike," Galveris begins, "You said you're waiting for someone else? Who?"

"Lara sent a message to War Child to join us here," Mike tells his friend, "We'll need all the help we can get. While Rhiana, Daxion, and Shiara face Dark Force, it'll be up to us Hunters to defend Pioneer City. The military will be powerless to stop Dark Force's monsters."

"I need to rearm myself," Daxion points out, "The Durandal won't activate after that battle with Zeira."

"It just so happens," Mike says, patting Daxion on the shoulder, "That I have just the weapon for this situation. I'm carrying my Hiryu no Ken into battle in Pioneer City. You, Daxion, should carry my father's sword into battle with Dark Force. You'll need all the power you can get." He hands the hilt to the younger HUmar.

Daxion activates the blade, as it flashes with a brilliant light, several runic markings etched onto the weapon. "The Elysion?" Daxion asks, "I'm honored, of course, but.." he trails off, not knowing what to say.

"Look, that sword served me quite well on the Parma back when we were on our way here. It'll work well against Dark Force."

"Dad, I'm going to help Rhiana," Jess tells her father, "I can't let her face this without me. We've faced almost everything together, from Trialos, to Master."

"Then carry your special sword," Lara advises her eldest daughter, "That lavis saber should help you."

"Good idea," Mike answers, "Put the Lavis Cannon in her hand, and she's 10 times stronger than I am. Lara, make sure you're prepared, too." As Jessica prepares herself for battle, the two families continue to make plans for humanity's last stand against Dark Force.

Elsewhere, in his bunker under the Central Dome, Governor Tyrell cowers at his desk, glad that he is sitting under nearly 2 miles of ground, where nothing can get to him. "Dammit," he thinks to himself, "How did he get his hands on that disc fragment? I never told him of the artificial falz."

"Governor," his secretary, Irene, states, "I think you'll be interested to know that there's a group gathering at Angelus Manor. It's the BlackHawk and Angelus families. I think that they're preparing some sort of offensive against the monsters inside the city."

"Dammit," he thinks to himself, "And knowing the BlackHawks, they're going to really start investigating me for this. I just know it."

"Is everyone ready?" Rhiana BlackHawk asks of her party, "We'll take a telepipe to the government's lab, then we'll take their teleporter to the heart of that energy pillar. Jessica, I'm counting on your tech ability, as well as your sword skills. Daxion, just give it all you've got. The Elysion will do the rest. Aunt Shiara, I know you're a skilled ranger, so just give us as much cover fire as you can. I'll do what I can with my techs and the other magic I've learned."

Everyone nods as Rhiana casts a Ryuker, headed to the lab. Seifer Angelus then drops a telepipe, setting its coordinates for the center of Pioneer City.

"I guess the rest is up to us," Lara states, nodding to her husband, then to her android friend, War Child, "Glad you could join us."

"Anytime," WC responds, "What are friends for?"  
"what indeed," Lara thinks as the group steps through the telepipe, and into a battle to end all battles.

Rhiana and her party appear at the lab, only to be stopped by a sentry. "I can't let you through, miss," he tells her, "This area is off limits to hunters."

"Well," she answers, "This party is going through and going to the heart of that energy pillar on Gal Da Val Island."

"Sergeant," the Professor says, "Let them through. Elly, set the teleporter's coordinates for the heart of that pillar. Hunters, good luck."

"Thank, Professor," Jessica replies, as the group heads to the teleporter and into the heart of the abyss.

Pioneer city is in near ruins, as monsters continue to rampage through the streets. Many of the civilians had been taken by telepipes to emergency underground shelters by hunters, while the rest of the guild had taken up arms against the monsters.

Most of the hunters weren't faring too well, due to a lack of offensive power against this strong of a dark presence. Mike BlackHawk and his family emerged from the telepipe to come face to face with the untold carnage in the streets of Pioneer City.

"By the Great Light," he says out loud, resting his hand on the grip of his katana, "This is going to take a while to rebuild."

"You're not kidding," Lara responds, readying her partisan, "Just be careful. We've got our work cut out for us here."

"We'll manage," Galveris notes, "Kirumi managed to borrow a shotgun from Diego, which will come in handy. She can cover us while we take on these things hand to hand."

"Amelia, keep the spells up, sis," Mike tells his younger sister, "Everyone else, remember the plan. Be careful, fight hard, and let's win this." The group nods as they spot a group of monsters coming their way. Weapons flare to life as the group now faces the challenge of a lifetime.

Rhiana and her party had taken the lab's teleporter into the heart of the energy pillar. What they found inside was nothing more than a chaotic realm where nothing appeared to exist but evil.

"It's like we're caught between dimensions," Rhiana thinks out loud, "Nothing here but chaos."

"Yeah," Daxion answers, "Leaves chills down your spine. If Dark Force is here, he'll be tough to beat in his own void."

"Rhiana, I think we should try those spells you used against Master here. Basic techs probably won't work," Jessica reminds her sister, "Although, a grants here and there probably won't hurt."

"I'll try, when I'm not casting healing techs," the FOmarl replies, "We all have to remember our plan, though. Aunt Shiara, That rifle that we got from Angelus manor is enhanced to be strong against dark enemies. Lay down as much cover fire as you can. Daxion, that Elysion should serve you well. It did for Dad back on the Parma, and I can feel that there's some holy energy in that blade. Jessie, I'll need you to back me up with your tech ability, and your sword skill. When I tell you, hit him with a cross slash. Let's see if this idea of mine works."

As the party continues forward, they come face to face with the ultimate evil itself, Dark Force, it's deep crimson eyes flashing with pure malice.

"Amelia, we need a resta," Seifer Angelus tells his wife, as she casts the recovery tech, "Thanks, hon. Now, how about weakening these beasts?"

"I'm on it," Amelia adds, casting a Jellen and Zalure on the current wave of monsters, "I'll weaken them, you guys just kill them, ok?"

"That's what we're trying to do, Sis," Mike BlackHawk reminds Amelia, going airborne to deliver a diving dragon slash on a chaos bringer, "How're you doing, Lara?"

"As well as can be expected," Lara tells her husband, "These things just keep coming and coming." She swipes her partisan once more at the onslaught of monsters, "This is an endless nightmare from hell, love."

Galveris is sent flying backwards by a chaos sorcerer's gibarta, as Maya leaps over the airborne HUcast and delivers a spiraling slash with her twin sabers. The large android then pops a trimate, before taking another swipe at the endless wave of monsters with his soul banish. All the while, the three rangers, Diego, War Child and Kirumi, continue to give the party enough cover fire with shotguns and rifles.

The power of the hoarde starts to take its toll on the group of hunters. They come in closer, and closer, until a photon blast takes out several of their numbers. Lara looks up to see another of her long time friends standing on the roof of a nearby building.

"You picked one heck of a time for a visit, Severance 7," the HUnewearl tells the new arrival.

"Just happened to be in the neighborhood," the RAcaseal answers, "Thought you guys could use some help. The guild heard that you all were planning something." Severance 7 then releases a blast from her photon launcher into a nearby dimenian hoarde.

"How are the other hunter's doing?" Lara asks as she keeps slashing away, "Hopefully not as bad as we are."

"Worse," Sev tells her, keeping up fire, "We've lost a good number today. Mortimer and his party are doing pretty well, but we can't keep this up forever."

"Rhiana went with Jessica, Daxion and Shiara to finish off Dark Force," Riala Mano adds, "When he's finished, these monsters should disappear."

"Then I guess those children have our future in their hands," the scarlet Ranger states, "perfect."

"Jessie, NOW!" Rhiana yells, "Cross Slash him!" She extends her hand toward Dark Force as a field of holy power illuminates the entire area. Jessica executes a cross slash with her katana, flaring the energy of Rhiana's spell into the gash opened up by the sword strike.

Daxion lunges to avoid a swipe from Dark Force's enormous arm. He leaps up and executes a lunging lateral slash, opening up another gash in the monster's hide. He then jumps back to his place with the party, where Rhiana resets their Shifta and Deband. Shiara Mano zoomed in on the monster's head, aiming right between his eyes. She fired off a shot that hit the mark with no problem. Dark Force shrieked in pain from the attack.

"I think we've found a weak spot," the RAmarl tells her allies, "Aim for the head. Rhiana, start us off with a grants. Jessie, Daxion, hit him with airborne slashes, and I'll aim for that same spot again. On my mark."

The party readies themselves as Shiara again takes aim. "NOW!" the ranger yells, as Rhiana casts a Grants, hitting Dark Force in head with the spell. Jessica had already leapt, executing her diving dragon slash at the same moment as Rhiana's spell took effect. Dark Force shrieked again, writhing in agony from the immense pain of the assault. Daxion was the next to take to the air, leaping up to slash the monster right as Shiara blasted him once more between the eyes with the light-enhanced rifle.

Dark Force was furious. He started flailing wildly, unable to aim his attacks at any particular target, due to the immense pain in his head. Daxion and Jessica were thrown backwards by the flailing arms of the monster. Shiara was the next one to fall back from Dark Force's wild attacks.

Rhiana stood there, watching for a moment. Then, she raised one hand toward the demon. She then muttered one single word, "Legeon." Waves of holy power pounded into Dark Force from all around, dissolving the flailing demon into nothingness in a minute amount of time.

Almost overtaken by the monsters in Pioneer City, the battle continued. Mike BlackHawk and Seifer Angelus stood back to back, about to make their final attacks, watching as Lara, Amelia, and the entire party kept up the assault as best as they could. The two HUmars nodded to each other and charged..but as they were about to unleash their attacks, the monsters disappeared, leaving both hunters off balance, and falling flat of their faces.

"I guess this means that they've killed Dark Force," Lara says, watching as the near endless waves of demonic creatures continue to vanish, "But are they ok?"

"I'm sure they are," Amelia BlackHawk-Angelus answers, "I can feel it, and that pillar is starting to shrink."

"I hope they can get out of there before it's gone," Maya adds, "I'd hate to lose them just after a victory like this."

Dark Force had just been defeated. The monsters attacking Pioneer City had disappeared and peace had returned to Ragol. Well, peace had returned to just about every part of Ragol, except one, Gal Da Val Island, and the still receding energy pillar where Dark Force revived.

"We won't be able to make it to the teleporter," Jessica tells her allies, "this dimension is rapidly receding. When we killed Dark Force, the power that was holding it together was destroyed, too."

"Then we'd better get out of here now," Shiara advises, "I don't know if we can use a telepipe from here, but if we get to the edge of the abyss, we should be able to teleport out. Daxion, use the BEE uplink and see if you can locate everyone else in Pioneer City."

"System can't pick anything up," Daxion answers, "Must be the energy interference from the abyss."

"Then, I'll teleport us to Pioneer City when we get to the edge of the abyss," Rhiana thinks out loud, "A Ryuker should get us there." With a plan, Rhiana and her party started running toward the edge of the abyss, where they hope to make their escape.

The Pioneer city militia had began the long task of cleaning up the mess left by the intense battle in the streets. Mike BlackHawk was kneeling on one knee, exhausted by the battle.

"This saber you used really did the trick," he tells Seifer Angelus, "I don't know how you guys did it, but it felt like this thing was more powerful than Dad's Elysion."

"That was easy," Seifer responds, "I simply tweaked the photon effeciency a bit, making it more powerful against dark enemies. It was already strong to those types of monsters, I just increased the effeciency rating a bit."

"Well, it worked," Mike says, nodding, "Lara, you ok?"

"Just fine," Lara tells her husband, "I think it best to say we're now going to officially retire from this line of work."

"I'd like to think so," Maya adds, "You two can't take a beating like Galveris and I, and besides." Maya is cut short by a glare from Lara.

"Anyway, I'm going to go check on Mortimer's group," Severance 7 tells her comrades, "Also, the guild will probably send out a global message when we get an accurate count of our losses."

"That's information I don't want to find out," War Child notes, "From what you said, Sev, we've lost a good number today."

"Most of us weren't prepared for a battle of this scale," Severance reminds WC, "The guild's been rather quiet since Master."

"Anyway, Sev, WC," Galveris says, "Thanks for the help. We appreciate it."

Rhiana, Shiara, Daxion and Jess had just barely been able to make it to the edge of the abyss. Monsters stronger than any they had ever faced, tried to block their path at every turn.

"Looks like we're here," Shiara notes, "Daxion, try again to get a reading on the uplink."

"Again, nothing," Daxion replies, "The energy in here is causing interference with the uplink, so I can't find them."

"Rhiana," Jessica tells her sister, "just set our destination for the center of Pioneer City. We'll find them from there."

"Ok," Rhiana answers, nodding, "Here goes nothing." She extends a hand as a teleport gate opens up. "Let's hope this works." Shiara steps through, then Jessica. Rhiana looks to Daxion, who then makes his move, going through the gateway. As the abyss is about to break apart, Rhiana finally steps through herself.

"The energy pillar's finally vanished," Amelia Angelus says, looking to the horizon, "I wonder if they got out alright."

"I don't know," Diego tells his sister-in-law, "I can't pick up anything on the BEE tracker. The energy from the pillar had created a massive amount of interference that we've yet to get through."

"I believe in my daughters," Lara reminds the pair, "They'll get out alright. They always have. What's that?" Lara BlackHawk looks over to a hill on the right as she sees a teleport gate open up. Stepping through it first is Shiara Mano, then her eldest daughter, Jessica. Daxion then steps through. The two families breathe a sigh of relief for a moment, then realize that Rhiana's not there.

Daxion looks back at the gate, realizing that Rhiana had not come through yet. He bows his head, for a moment, then looks back up to see her materialize in the pipe, then drop to her knees.

"It's finally over," Rhiana BlackHawk thinks out loud, "You can now rest, Takezo." Daxion then walks over to her, as the teleport gate vanishes, and picks her up. The party of four then make their way over to their families.

A few days of rest and recovery pass. Mike and Lara made it official that they're going to retire from service as hunters, and start teaching at the hunter academy, instead. Lara also dropped a major bomb on the family, stating that she was expecting a 3rd child. Jessica, on the other hand, continued to train her sword skills, while Shiara and Riala went back to their intelligence jobs. Rhiana, though, decided to spend this time quietly, reading, and giving thought to her life and her future.

It's on this day that Daxion Angelus decided to stop by the BlackHawk home, with the Elysion at his side, to talk to Mike and Rhiana about the battle, and this weapon that he was given to face Dark Force.

"It was strange," Daxion says, "There was this twinge in my arm when I first held the sword. Then, in the heat of battle, I just forgot it was there."

"With training," Mike tells the younger hunter, "You'll be able to use it better."

"What are you saying, Mr. BlackHawk?" Dax asks, "You're not going to let me have this are you? Didn't it belong to your father?"

"It did," the elder reminds Daxion, "But I'm retired from fighting now. I'm training the next generation of hunters at the academy. So will Lara, when she's up for it."

"I heard. Congratulations. Seifer and Amelia also send their congratulations and best wishes."

"Thanks, Daxion."

Rhiana then looks up to Daxion. "Could you go somewhere with me?" she asks, "To finally put this whole mess to rest."

"Of course, Rhiana," Dax responds, "Where?"

"The hunter memorial park," she tells him. The two stand and walk out of Rhiana's home, and head to the memorial park.

"So, you think that Tyrell had something to do with Zeira?" Shiara asks her superior officer, "where'd you get this information from?"

"We've had a plant with him from the very beginning, trying to get information on his involvement with Master. She's been sending us intelligence on a regular basis through a secure channel."

"Do you expect any retalliation from Tyrell on these matters?" Riala Mano inquires.

"I think he may send his forces against me soon," Morgan notes, "He knows I'm getting old, and an assassin could probably take me out easily. If that happens, send this packet to your sister and her husband." He slides a package, holding several files across the desk. "This has all the information we've gathered on Tyrell thus far. It's very incriminating stuff. Make sure he knows that this is to be used only at a time when it will greatly affect Tyrell's public opinion. If he's elected to another term, then it could be disastrous for all of us."

"I'm telling you, Sev, something's going on in this city," Mortimer Kirk tells his android friend, "I thought we were toast in that fight, until some guy with a steel sword just appeared out of nowhere."

"What?" the RAcaseal asks, "Are you sure?"

"That guy's strength was inhuman," Kirk answers, "He wiped out those monsters like boomas in the forest on the outskirts. All I was able to see was a cloak and a sword, then he disappeared before I could do anything else."

"Strange," Severance thinks out loud, "I'll talk to Lara about that next time I see her. Maybe we can start up an investigation of some sort. I think she's going to retire, but Jessica should be able to help."

Standing at the memorial park, Rhiana looked down at the gravestone of a fallen friend.

"I guess I'll still miss you," she says, "but I thank you for what you've done for me." She kneels down and puts a couple of flowers down on the grave. "Goodbye, Takezo," she continues, "I hope that you've found peace." She stands up and takes Daxion by the arm. "Let's go somewhere," she tells him.

"Where to?" Dax asks.

"Anywhere," she answers, "It really doesn't matter right now." With that, the two just walk from the memorial park, and into Pioneer City.

Little did Daxion and Rhiana know, but they were being watched from atop a far hill. The cloaked figure stands there for a few moments, watching the two youngsters leave the Memorial Park, then puts his sword back on his back, and walks away from the park himself. Under the hood of his cloak, a small smile comes to the face of this unseen warrior.

_Once again, the future looks bright and peaceful for the people of Ragol, due to the sacrifices of those who call themselves hunters. And the future looks especially bright for one young force named Rhiana Michelle BlackHawk._


End file.
